Windshield wiper



Oct. 5, 1937. i J; w, ANDERSON 2,094,732

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Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a windshield wiper, and particularly to the arm and mounting therefor by which the arm and wiping element are supported and operatively connected to an actuating 5 member such as a shaft or other suitable device.

The present application is a division of my application, Serial No. 574,967, filed November 14, 1931, for Windshield wiper, now Patent No. 2,043,- 218, issued June 9, 1936.

One object of the present invention is to provide a wiper arm having resilient means associated therewith for urging the arm and wiping element toward the windshield, and wherein a novel construction and arrangement is provided WINDSHIELD WIPER John W. Anderson, Gary, Ind.

Original application November 14, 1931, Serial No. 574,967, now Patent No. 2,043,218, dated June 9, 19362 Divided 'and thisapplication August 8, 1935, Serial No. 35,352

4 Claims.

for varying the tension of said resilient means.

Another object of the invention is to provide 'a wiper arm strong enough to carry loads encountered in service without breakage of the arm adjacent to the shaft or other actuating member. Another object of the invention is to provide a wiper arm which may be readily applied to and disconnected from its actuating member, and wherein the resilient means associated with the arm may be conveniently positioned, and the tensioning means therefor readily adjusted.

A still further object of the invention is to improve devices of the character described in sundry detalls hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

to a windshield;

-Flg. 2 is an enlarged side view of the improved mounting and arm shown in Fig. 1 with some of the parts broken away to more clearly illustrate certain portions of the structure;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2, taken as viewed from the left side thereof Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevational view taken substantially as indicated by line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

cess l3 formed adjacent the outer end of the shaft, and with a notch or annular groove I4 shown, in the present instance, as formed in the periphery of and extending around the shaft II in spaced relation to the aperture 2| and between the aperture and the windshield.

The wiper arm, shown in the drawing, and indicated as a whole by the numeral I5, comprises an inner section I6 and an outer section II slidably mounted on the inner section and extending beyond the lower end thereof, the extreme outer or lower end of the outer section I! being provided in the present instance with a hook portion i8 adapted to engage a connector, indicated as a whole by the numeral 19, on which is mounted a clip or holder |9a adapted to receive a windshield wiper element or blade 20 positioned adjacent and adapted for engagement with the surface of the windshield Ill.

The inner section iii of the wiper arm i5 is shown, in the present instance, as formed of relatively stifi resilient round stock or wire bent into substantially U-shaped formation, the legs of which are shown as provided adjacent their upper ends with relatively movable portions, shown as laterally and inwardly extending angular extensions or projections 2| adapted, respectively, to

engage the respective ends of the apertureor recess lit at opposite sides of the shaft I I in a manner, in the present instance, to rotate therein and permit the arm to swing in a plane substantially parallel to the axial line of the shaft l l and perpendicular to the windshield. By such an arrangement, it will be observed that the angular projections 21! of the arm section I6 positioned in opposite ends of the aperture l3, divide the operating load at these points of engagement with the shaft i i between the two cross-sectionalareas approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the aperture, thereby obtaining greater durability than is ordinarily obtained by a structure wherein the entire load is'carried by single crosssectional area of the driven member or arm as is the case in various present devices, and which are subject to frequent. breakage at a point near the connection of arm with the operating shaft. For yieldingiy urging the wiper arm I5 and wiping element iii toward the windshield ill, a spring 22 is connected at one of its end portions to an open sided nook lift adapted to engage the groove M as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and at its opposite end, is connected to a yoke 2d slidably mounted on and operatively related to the inner section it at a point remote from the projections 2| or pivotal axis thereof.

For varying the tension of the spring 22 in a manner to vary the pressure of the wiping element 20 on the windshield ID, the inner section 16 of the arm I5 is provided with a roughened portion shown, in the present instance, as a plurality of notches 25 formed in the respective leg portions of the U-shaped inner section 16 and spaced longitudinally thereof. The yoke member 24 is shown, in the present instance, as provided with a central opening 26 adapted to loosely receive the legs of the inner section IS in a manner to prevent rotation of the yoke on the inner section and retain the projections 25 in'engagement with the recess on aperture l3, and it will be observed that by connecting the spring 22 to one side of the yoke 24 as clearly shown at 21 in Figs. 2 and 3, the tension of the spring 22 will cause a cramping of the yoke onthe section I6 and cause one of the margins of the opening 26 to engage the notches 25 and retain the yoke in relatively fixed position with respect to the arm section Hi. It will be observed also that by moving the yoke 24 longitudinally of the section IS in a manner, to engage the various notches 25 formed therein, that the spring 22 may be variously tensioned for exerting various degrees of pressure of the wiping'element 20 on the windshield II].

In assembling the arm 15 with the shaft H, the outer section I! may be moved downwardly to adjacent its extreme outer position and the yoke 24 slid downwardly along the inner section IE to adjacent the upper end of the outer section II, thereby permitting the upper or free ends of the member IE to be separated and the inwardly extending projections 2| to be inserted in opposite ends of the recess or aperture l3, after which the yoke 24 may be moved upwardly into approximately its normal operative position adjacent the roughened portion or notches 25 and the hook 23 placed in the groove l4, after which the outer section I I of the arm maybe moved to desired position and the yoke adjusted to proper position in one of the notches 25 to obtain the desired spring tension for exerting suitable pressure of the wiper blade 20 on the surface of the windshield. It will be observed that by such an arrangement, theprojections 2| are secured against accidental displacement from within the aperture I3 and that an emcient and secure connectoin between the arm and operating shaft is obtained which prevents the arm from working out -of the aperture as frequently occurs. in various devices at present in use.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a novel and eflicient structure whereby the wiper arm may be readily connected and detached from its actuating member, and that the pressure of the wiper element on the windshield may be readily varied. It will be observed also that the arm and the pressure varying means may be readily applied to and disconnected from the actuating member for convenience in cleaning and making replacements or repairs of the various parts.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise (.lllSblllCtiOIl and arrangement shown and described, as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used to advantage in variously difierent combinations and sub-combinations.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described and in c mbination, anarm section having a pair of substantially parallel legs, a. rotatable supporting shaft having a notch formed therein and having an aperture extending therethrough between said notch and the end of said shaft, said legs having inwardly extending relatively movable projections rotatably mounted in said aperture, a yoke surrounding and adjustably mounted on said legs for securing said projections against displacement from said aperture, and resilient means connected to said yoke and to said shaft at the notch formed therein.

'2. In a device of the class described and in combination, an arm section comprising a pair ofv substantially parallel spaced legs having a roughened portion formed thereon, a rotatable supporting shaft having an annular groove formed therein and having an aperture extending therethrough between said notch and the end of said shaft, said legs being relatively movable and having inwardly extending projections rotatably mounted in said aperture, a yoke surrounding and adjustably mounted on said legs adjacent said roughened portions for securing said projections against displacement from'said aperture, and resilient means extending between said legs and connected to said yoke and to an open-sided hook positioned in said groove.

3. A device of the class described and in combination, an arm having a pair of substantially parallel legs, a rotatable actuating member having a notch therein and having an aperture extending therethrough between said notch and the end of said actuating member, said legs having relatively movable laterally extending projections rotatably mounted in the opposite end portions of said aperture, a manually actuated yoke surrounding said legs for securing said projections against displacement from said aperture, and resilient means connected at one of its ends to said yoke at the opposite side of said legs from said notch and at its opposite end to said actuating member at the notch formed therein.

4. In a device of the class described and in combination, a rotatable supporting shaft having a notch formed therein and having an aperture extending therethrough between said notch and the end of said shaft, an arm section comprising a pair of substantially parallel relatively movable spaced legs having inwardly extending projections rotatably mounted in said aperture, said legs having a roughened portion formed thereon at the opposite side thereof from said notch, a yoke surrounding and-adjustably mounted on said legs adjacent said roughened portions for securing the projections against displacement from said aperture, and resilient means connected at one of its ends to a portion of said yoke adjacent the roughened side of said legs and at its opposite end to said shaft at the notch formed therein.

JOHN W. ANDERSON. 

